Events and Receptions
The main attraction of the weekend is the "Pennsylvania Society Dinner," a black tie event held in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on the final night of the weekend. In 2005, about 1,500 individuals attended. However, much of the "real action" takes place in the invitation-only dinners and receptions hosted by businesses, candidates, and lobbying firms throughout the weekend. In an attempt to attract more attendees, hosts have hired top tier guests, including Jon Stewart, Lewis Black, and George H.W. Bush, who ended his 2003 speech with a reference to Dana Carvey's impression of him by saying, "Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent." Several events have become well known for drawing high-powered guests, including the events hosted by the Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association. In 2004, an evening at an Upper East Side cigar lounge hosted by Republican national committeewoman Christine Toretti Olson gained significant praise from attendees. In a 2005 event, Rick Santorum was able to raise $46,000 for his 2006 re-election campaign and $130,000 for the Pennsylvania Republican Party.
The Pennsylvania Society has become known as the "unofficial start of the next year's big political season" because of its reputation as a place for potential political candidates to make contacts, meet fundraisers, and make a name for themselves early in the electoral process.
Former Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Bill DeWeese said in 2003 that the Pennsylvania Society is "a magnificent re-creation of the gilded age and the era of the robber barons of the late 19th century, when Fricks and Carnegies and Pews dominated Pennsylvania's commercial and political scene. Slender elements of its original purpose endure. However, it is primarily a hell of a party."
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